Construction forms



Jan. 24, 1956 R. c. YATES CONSTRUCTION FORMS Filed Aug. 10, 1951 R S W E N T M m C a Z n D m1 E \lzlkwz I I? AH II l H C V. .5 II B P Gun/Z4 a. 6m

QTTORNEY z V wvlll rllll CQNSTRUCTIGN FGRMS Richard 6. Yates, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to Ringhamton Metal Forms, Inc, Binghamton, N. 1., a can poration of New York Application August 10, 1951, Serial No. 241,227

17 Claims. (Cl. 25-418) This invention relates to apparatus adapted for use in the building of structures of concrete and similar materials and more particularly to apparatus known in the art as road rails or forms used in the building of roads, sidewalks, curbs, gutters and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel and simplified means for aligning and connecting the ends of forms employed in the building of structures of the above character.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel end connecting means for construction forms which are of extremely simple construction and cooperate in a novel manner with the form body.

A further object is to provide in novel combination with construction forms of the above character means for connecting the abutting ends thereof, which means facilitates the installation and disassembly of the forms and contributes to the integration of the connected sections thereof into a continuous relatively rigid form.

Still another object is to provide a novelly constructed road rail or form which is sturdy and rugged and hence, capable of withstanding the shocks and stresses to which such equipment is subjected during ordinary handling and usage.

A still further object is to provide novelly constructed apparatus of the above character which is fabricated from the fewest possible number of parts which are in turn of simple construction and so integrated and associated so as to insure maximum strength and stability with a minimum of weight.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detail description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a deiinition of the linuts of the invention.

in the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is an isometric view showing one type of road rail or form embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view, partly in section and with parts broken away, showing the connected ends of two road rails or forms;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one form of locking slide;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the locking slide illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the slide, taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fi 4; and

Fi 7 is a detail sectional view, taken substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example, the novel end connection and aligning means comprehended by the present invention are shown in combination with channel-shaped form bodies or sections 10. The sections may be of any desirable dimen- States Patent Patented Jan. 24, 1956 sions and are usually made in several standard sizes for use in building diflerent types of structures. Each channel-shaped section or form 10 comprises a flat web 11, an upper flange l2, and a lower flange 14. If desired, the marginal portions of either or both flanges 12 and 14 may be bent inwardly to form lips 15 and 16, respectively.

Each section or form 10 is supported on a desired line and grade in any suitable known manner, such as by one or more stakes which cooperate with stake pockets mounted on the form sections. The supporting means may be of any suitable known type and, by way of simplification of the drawings, a single stake pocket of preferred construction is shown in Fig. l. The stake pocket construction which is disclosed in greater detail and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 146,850, filed February 28, 1950, comprises a sheet metal strap 17 bent to form a bend or bite 18 to receive a cylindrical stake 19. The edges of bent strap 17 are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the web and flanges of form body it and the side walls thereof are provided with oppositely disposed slots for slidably receiving a flat wedge member 2b. The wire portion of member 29 is adapted to be securely wedged between the stake and the remote ends of the slots in the sides or" the stake pocket to eflect a igid support for the form body. In some installations, the form body may rest at one or both ends upon the ground, and the stake may function primarily to maintain the form in upright position, whereas in other installations the form bodies or sections may be wholly supported by the stakes and the associated stake pockets. For some installations one stake and stake pocket assembly may be sutlicient, whereas in others it may be desirable to use even more than two on some or all of the sections.

in order to best obtain suitable overall rigidity and continuity of a series of complementary sections or form bodies and to insure good longitudinal alignment of the forms, the present invention comprehends novel means for effecting a connection between the abutting ends of adjacent form bodies. In the embodiment illustrated, said means comprises a locking slide 21 novelly combined with one section it) and adapted to cooperate in a novel manner with an angle bar 22 novelly associated with a complementary section lb. Angle bar 22 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to form body 10' with the vertigal side 23 thereof engaging the inner face of web 11 and the horizontal side 24 thereof engaging the lower face of upper flange 12. A preferred method of securing bar 22 in place consists in providing a plurality of spaced holes or openings 25 therein and effecting a weld in each hole around the periphery thereof. This method permits firm attachment by welding without causing any warping of the form structure.

One edge portion of bar 22 and preferably about onehalf thereof extends beyond the end of form 10' to which it is attached, and into overlapping engagement with form iii which has registering end-to-end abutment with form 1-3, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 7. After section ill has been staked in position by means of stakes 19 on the desired line and grade, the projecting portion of bar 22 may be used as a rest or support for section 19 while the latter is being secured in proper position. In this manner the proper positioning of the end of section 1% is facilitated and the required man-power for installing a series of forms is thus reduced.

The abutting ends of forms it), lll may now be effectively locked against relative movement to solidify the joint in a novel manner by locking slide 21. The latter is slidably supported and retained on form body 10 by a thin metal strap 26 which is formed and secured to said body to provide a slot in which slide 21 is movable. As shown, the upper end of strap 26 is welded to flange 12,

and the lower end thereof, which consists of a flange 27 inclined upwardly toward the adjacent end of form body 10, is secured to web 11, such as by welding. The width of flange 27 is slightly greater than the thickness of slide 21 so the latter has a sliding fit between strap 25 and web 11 (Figs. 3 and 7). The forward or left-hand marginal end portion of the web portion of the slide is bent outwardly from web 11 to ride up on the vertical side 23 of bar 22 and wedge it firmly against said web and insure horizontal alignment of sections I'll, 1%. The upper portion of the forward edge of slide 21 is preferably bevelled, or rounded or rearwardly inclined as at 2 to ride beneath the horizontal side 24 of angle bar 22 for wedging the latter upwardly against the lower face of flange 12 to insure vertical alignment of sections 16, it). The upward wedging action of slide 21 is eflected by the inclined flange or ramp 27 forming the bottom of the slot for the slide. The lower edge of the locking slide is correspondingly inclined or tapered and slides along ramp 27 as the slide is moved forwardly or to the left into looking or clamping position. The upper edge of slide 21 is maintained in suitable spaced relation to flange 12 by an upward projection 3% on the slide. Said projection may be a part of a rear flange 3i. on the slide which may also serve as a stop for limiting forward movement of the slide and as means to which force may be applied for moving the slide. For these latter purposes a flange 32 may also be provided at the forward edge of the slide. When the latter is in operative or locking position, the frictional engagement between form body it and bar 22 tends to prevent any relative end-wise movement of the abutting sections 19,

As illustrated in Fig. l, a locking slide 21 is mounted on one end of form body 10 and an ang.e bar 22 is secured to the opposite end thereof. If desired, alternate form sections in a series thereof may have a locking slide on both ends or angle bars on both ends. This latter construction makes it possible to remove an intermediate section from a series without any endwise or pivotal movement thereof. On high forms it may be desirable to provide one or more additional locking slides between the top and bottom of the form to serve as additional means for Wedging the bar 22 against web 11.

There is thus provided efiicient and effective means for connecting the ends of abutting sections of road rails or forms used in the construction of sidewalks, curbs, roads, foundations and the like. The means thus provided are also effective to insure proper and accurate register of the abutting ends of the connected sections. Additionally, said means requires a minimum of parts of simple construction which may be readily and inexpensively manufactured and assembled in novel combination with the form body. The sturdy construction of the novel end connecting means provided by the invention permits rough handling and usage of the apparatus without appreciable danger of damage being done to the parts which eifect the connection and alignment of the forms.

An important advantage of the novel construction herein disclosed lies in the fact that the novel connecting means lends itself also to an installation wherein it is necessary or desirable that the form bodies 19 and 19' make a small angle, up to approximately 16, with each other to negotiate a curve. When the form bodies are set at such an angle to each other, it will not be possible to drive slide 21 as far forward as when the form bodies are in longitudinal alignment, but the connection will nevertheless be firm, particularly in view of the fact that the angle bar 22 on one form body telescopes with the other form body. In some installations, the locking slide 21 may not be needed and hence, need not be used.

As used herein, the terms upper, lower and similar terms are used as realtive terms and should not be strictly construed in the claims. For example, the form bodies 10, 10' may be inverted, making the top flange 12 the bottom flange, without changing the construction. In the 4 latter case, the inclined bottom edge of slide 21, as shown in the drawings, would become the top edge of the slide.

Although only a limited number of modifications of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the foregoing specification, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the sides 23 and 24 of angle bar 22 may be separate plates and bar 22 may have the side 24 in engagement with lower flange 14 instead of flange 12, in which instance the locking slide and mountmeans therefor would be reversed. If desired, bar 22 could be channel-shaped to fit inside member 10', and a locking slide could be provided at both top and bottom of member 10. Additionally, side 24 of bar 22 could be extended to have a sliding fit between web 11 and either lip 15 or 16. As will now be understood by those skilled in the art, various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as well as in the materials suggested, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In construction apparatus, first and second channelshaped form members in abutting endto-end engagement, each said member comprising a web and upper and lower flanges on said web, an angle bar having horizontal and vertical sides secured to said first member and extending into overlapping relation with said second member, the vertical side of said bar engaging the webs of said memers and the horizontal side thereof engaging the lower faces of said upper flanges, a locking slide, and means forming a slot on said second member for guiding and retaining said slide, the lower edge of said slot being inclined at an angle to the horizontal toward said first member, said slide consisting of a metallic sheet formed to comprise an upward projection and a web, the forward marginal portion of which is bent to ride upon said vertical side of the angle bar and press the same against the web of said second member and the lower edge of which is tapered correspondingly to and engages the lower edge of said slot, whereby upon movement of the slide up said incline, the forward upper edge of said slide engages the horizontal side of said angle bar and presses the same against the upper flange of said second member and said upward projection engages said upper flange of the second member.

2. In construction apparatus, first and second body members in registering end-to-end engagement, each of said members comprising a web and a flange extending substantially at right angles to the web, an angle bar secured to said first member and extending into overlapping relation with the web and flange of said second member, a locking slide, and means secured to said second member and forming therewith a slot through which said slide extends, one side of said slot constituting an inclined ramp along which the slide is adapted to move into engagement with said bar to clamp the same against said second member, and the edge of said slide opposite said ramp engaging said bar to press the latter into engagement with the flange of said second member.

3. Construction apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein an end portion of said slide engages said bar to clamp the same against the web of said second member.

4. In construction apparatus, first and second body members in registering end-to-end engagement, each of said members comprising a Web and a flange extending substantially at right angles to said web, a plate secured to the Web of said first member and extending into overlapping relation with the Web of said second member, a plate secured to the flange of said first member and extending into overlapping relation with the flange of said second member, and a locking slide mounted on said second member and simultaneously engaging both said plates for releasably clamping said plates against the web and flange of said second member.

5. A construction form comprising .a body member including a web and a right angle flange, a locking slide comprising a web portion in face-to-face engagement with said web, the lower edge of said web portion being inclined toward the adjacent end of said member, and supporting means for said slide forming with said member a slot in which said slide is movable, the side of said slot engaged by the inclined edge of said web portion being correspondingly inclined and said slide including a projection from the edge thereof opposite said inclined edge and adjacent the end of the slide remote from said adjacent end of the member, said projection being adapted to engage said flange.

6. A construction form as defined in claim wherein the slide has upper and forward edges, said forward edge being at the small end of the web portion thereof and connected with the upper edge of the slide by a rearwardly inclined edge portion.

7. A construction form as defined in claim 5 wherein the web portion of said slide has a marginal portion at the small end thereof bent outwardly from said web at a small acute angle.

8. In construction apparatus, first and second body members in registering end-to-end abutment, each of said members comprising a Web and a right angle flange, an angle bar secured to said first member with the sides of the bar engaging the inner faces of the web and flange of said first member and extending into engagement with the inner face of the web and flange of said second member, and a one-piece locking slide movably mounted on said second member and simultaneously engaging said sides of the bar for releasably clamping said bar against the inner faces of the web and flange of said second member.

9. Construction apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said locking slide is made of sheet metal and includes a web portion in face-to-face sliding engagement with the web of said second member.

10. Construction apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein a marginal end portion of the web portion of said slide is bent away from the face of the web of said second member at a small acute angle to ride up on said angle bar and clamp the same against the web of said second member.

11. Construction apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said web portion is wedge-shaped and cooperates with inclined supporting means therefor on said second member to cause the edge of said wedge to engage said bar and press the same against the flange of said second member.

12. A construction form comprising a first body member including a web and a flange extending at substantially a right angle to said web, a locking slide, a sheet metal strap having an edge thereof secured to said flange a short distance from the web adjacent one end of said first body member and having a marginal portion at the opposite edge thereof extending inwardly toward said web and secured thereto, whereby said strap forms with the first body member an open-ended channel for slidably receiving said locking slide, said marginal portion extending longitudinally at an angle to said flange so that said channel is tapered with the small end thereof nearest said one end of the first body member and said slide being correspondingly tapered at the edge thereof which engages said inwardly extending marginal portion of said strap, a second body member in end-to-end abutment with said first body member, and means, such as an angle bar, secured to said second body member and having sides extending into overlapping relation with the web and flange of said first body member for cooperation with said slide to hold said body members in aligned abutment.

13. A construction form as defined in claim 12 wherein said slide has a portion adjacent the end thereof remote from said one end of the first body member and at the edge thereof adjacent said flange which projects beyond said last-named edge for engagement with said flange.

14. A construction form as defined in claim 13 wherein said projecting portion is constituted by the upper marginal portion of a flange on said slide which extends outwardly from said web.

15. A construction form as defined in claim 13 wherein said slide comprises a web portion having face-to-face engagement with the web of said first body member, a

marginal part of said web portion at the end thereof nearest said one end of the first body member extending outwardly from said web at a small acute angle.

16. A constructionform as defined in claim 15 wherein said slide is formed from a single piece of sheet metal.

17. A construction form as defined in claim 16 wherein a marginal portion of said slide at the small end thereof is bent outwardly from said web for engagement with said strap to limit the movement of the slide in said channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,006,895 Albree Oct. 24, 1911 1,205,746 Jones Nov. 21, 1916 1,221,567 Moncure Apr. 3, 1917 1,477,767 Pulis Dec. 18, 1923 1,579,000 Kersting et al Mar. 30, 1926 1,641,927 Gremel Sept. 6, 1927 1,842,549 Harrold Ian. 26, 1932 

